VERO BEACH — The Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation announced today the addition of tennis pro Allison Mays as the incoming Director of Tennis, replacing current Director, Kristen Wilson, when Wilson moves out-of-state this summer.
In this new role as Director of Tennis, Alison Mays will lead the “Kids on Courts” programs for the Foundation. She will manage the Fall and Spring after-school tennis programs, the Friday Night Fish youth tennis mixers, the middle school tennis program, summer camps and special event Kids Clinics.
“While we are very sad that Kristen Wilson is moving back to Michigan, we are honored to have Alison step into the position, as she has been actively involved in our programs while working with Kristen for the past several years,” said Tom Fish, Chairman of the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation and Director of Tennis at Windsor. “We feel confident that Alison will maintain and grow our programs as we strive to provide the children of Indian River County with health, fitness and nutrition programs to develop a healthy lifestyle.”
“In 2009, Kristen Wilson and Mike Rahaley started our ‘Kids on Courts’ program working out of Beachland Elementary and Pelican Island Elementary,” he added. “Since then, Kristen has been responsible for growing our ‘Kids on Courts’ to eleven public elementary schools, one charter elementary school, one private elementary school and GYAC. She also has created a Club program for our four public middle schools, and hosts summer camps, tennis clinics and mixers throughout the year. She has been an integral part of our Foundation’s growth and success, and we’re certainly going to miss her,” says Chairman, Tom Fish. “However, we understand the importance of family and respect her decision to move back to her hometown in Michigan.”
Upon her return to Michigan with her husband and their almost 2-year-old daughter, Kristen Wilson will be teaching tennis, helping her husband, Shaun, to relocate his business, and working to develop a grass roots tennis program in Suttons Bay, Mich.
“What a great experience it has been to be a part of the Vero Beach Tennis community. I have met so many wonderful families through MFCF. I feel honored to have been a part of introducing tennis, a life-long sport, to children throughout Indian River County over the past five years. Thank you to everyone for letting me be a part of their tennis family,” said Wilson.
Alison Mays comes with 13 years of experience as a USPTA teaching professional. She played tennis for Northeastern University in Boston, Mass., and started playing competitive USTA tennis in 1989. Working with local pro Mike Rahaley, she has assisted in various tennis clinics and activities for the last several years. Mays official start date is Aug. 1, but over the next several months she will be working closely with Kristen Wilson to ensure a smooth transition for our schools and students.
About the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation:
Mardy Fish is a top-ranked U.S. tennis professional dedicated to supporting the youth in his hometown of Vero Beach. Started in 2007, the non-profit Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation has supported over 2100 children in 13 elementary schools and four middle schools in Indian River County, by providing after-school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives.
The Foundation introduced the “Six Healthy Habits” in 2012 which are Get Sleep; Drink Water; Exercise Daily; Eat Healthy; Brush and Floss; Make Friends.”
For more information on the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation visit, www.mffkids.org.
Photos: mf-alison / mf-kristen
